Pros

Great car all around.

Cons

Not a one car option for all

25

Fantastic —
Great power, head turner and very reliable. I have never had a better car. For a twenty five year old vehicle you can't be the dependability and value. You can find many in this model with very low miles and great shape.

Pros

Stylish, fun to drive. Handles very well and sounds great too! Gas mileage is actually higher MPG than my V6 Nissan Frontier.

Cons

With me being 56 years old. It is definitely a FICO (Fall In, Crawl Out) vehicle. And not enough time in a weekend for driving it. No room for ANYTHING but my wife and I. But didn't buy it for food shopping!

85

Thoroughly Impressed By Everything About This C4. —
I bought my 89 C4 last year. Only one owner for its first 24 years. Did a carfax and found no issues. The previous owner took impeccable care of this automobile. Even after sitting for a month she starts right up! I had to replace old vacuum lines, hoses and a few electrical connections, weatherstripping and complete new exhaust.... but it is 25 years old. Runs great! And my wife and I take it for a little highway joyrides on weekends weather permitting. She still has her flawless bright red finish and is a head turner. I plan to leave it as is. Fun to drive. And fun to clean and wax! Not the fastest car on the road, but I don't intend to street race anyone. If you really want to go that fast you should've become an astronaut! My wife and I receive compliments on the car all the time. But since I've only owned it for one year I always give credit to the gentleman who owned it before me. I always wanted a Corvette. It was a great price and structurally sound. A C4 Corvette is a great investment if you are looking for an inexpensive introduction to Corvettes and have some spare dollars (2-4 thousand) to get up to speed so to speak. All total I have vested $13,000 on a beautiful piece of machinery. Not a bad investment for a mid-life crisis. I've seen people shovel over a great deal more $$$$ on something that they only drive for a few years. And start all over again with a new lease costing $$$$. I have my daily drive older pick up truck. And a beautiful weekend cruiser.

Pros

Rare to see on the road to expect lots of looks. Simple to work on and keep on the road. Parts (reproduction or take off's) easy to come by. Classic '350' under the hood! These are well built automobiles.

Cons

Higher than normal maintenance schedule on all fluids, age of the car (even in great shape) things still need attention like the headlight motor bushings and brittle plastics that might need to be replaced throughout the car. Radio (Delco Bose) will need work.

105

Early C4's Are Fun, Cheap, And Great Cars Overall —
I was on the hunt for the very best 1989 II could put my hands on. Why a 1989? While I'm in the minority, I LOVE the digital LCD gauges, the 1st generation C4 body, and the classic L98/350 combination. '89's have all of the frame, chassis, and standard Z52 suspension refinements while retaining a the original design introduced in 1983 1/2. A few books mention that the 1989 a good year from a build and quality standard (along with the 95-96) although I love all of them. Mine was purchased with 14,700 miles, top notch condition, garaged kept and all original down to the 089 code Goodyear Gatorback tires. The only thing not original was the battery. So this review is as close as it gets to a brand new '89 Corvette Convertible with 700R4 automatic transmission.
First, from the factory, these cars are not about all out speed (especially in 2014) and are all about cruising. In reality, the early C4's restored the Corvette's performance pretty close to that of the pre '71 350HP cars. The TPI gives you an unnatural torque push from idle to 4500 RPM's and then it drops off rather fast. Still, for an around the town cruiser, you are always in the meat of the powerband all of the time making the L98 an entertaining car to drive even if you have faster cars in the driveway. There are plenty of paths to get more out of the factory short block i.e. heads, a cam, an intake, and exhaust can get you back in the thick of the action for a couple thousand bucks. Minor bolt-ons like Headers, exhaust, and 1.6 roller rocker arms will improve the horsepower by 25-30 horsepower. Mine, however, due to its originality will remain stock.
The car drives very nice. It feels firm and planted with exceptional road feel. The factory Bilstein shocks and spring rates are well calibrated for sport with a good ride. The seats (mine are base leather seats) suck you in and make you feel like you are part of the car. The rack and pinion steering heavy weighted and just feels nice on the road. Brakes work extremely well but they do not seem to have the initial 'bite' of newer brake systems. This is probably due the factory pad composition. If you are going to do spirited cruising, the convertible is a great option.
These ares do require diverse mechanical and electrical abilities. I've repaired the Factory Delco Bose amps and deck unit myself which involved replacing all of the electrolytic capacitors . You'll probably need to perform a bushing replacement on the headlight motors. Fluids changes are VERY important especially the braking and power steering system. Also, be prepared to replace some interior plastics as these parts seem to become brittle with age. Weatherstrip and moldings will eventually require attention too. The more of the stuff you can do yourself the better and all of the information needed to tackle these items are on the internet step by step.

Pros

Killer looks, great performance, power is outstanding, corners like it on rails.

Cons

Fuel econ. suck, and the ride is rough, but that's why you by a sports car.

45

Great Car To Drive —
I always wanted a vet, but until recently I had no money for a sports car of any kind. I love my vet, now I'm experiencing what previously I only could admire from afar. Power, style, handling are all excellent.

Pros

For the age of the vehicle, it looks and drives like new. People admire the flowing lines, sound of the engine, and the fact that it is a true American sports car.

Cons

This is not a practical family car and maintenance costs can be expensive.

65

All American Fun! —
This is my first Vette, something that I dreamed of since high school. Now that prices have come down, I was able to get into it for less than $5k and it has only 80k miles. It also has the 6-speed manual transmission, selectable ride, leather, targa top, and power everything. The 240 HP along with the incredible torque, highly reactive steering, and low stance is enough to give any driver a thrill. For a 350 V8, this car is getting 20 MPG, better than my wife's little SUV with a 6 cylinder.

Primary Use: Commuting to work

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1989 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe
Review

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155

Pros

Hot looks, V8 power.

Cons

Hard to get in and out. "Fall in, crawl out!"

55

Red Rocket —
After wanting a vette for years, I finally got one at age 41. Loving every minute with it! I'm just sorry I didn't get one years ago.
The ride and handling are world class, and even though newer ones are more powerful, it still has a lot of get up and go.

Pros

Awesome vehicle performance, handling, appearance

Cons

Getting in and out for elderly person

85

Great Car —
Beautiful look car, still looks the same as when it was delivered. White top & plastic window still like new.
Superb acceleration, handeling and braking. Fun to drive.
Great gas mileage on the highway.
A bit harsh on bumping pavement. (european ride quality)

Pros

This convertible was never folded down.

Cons

Highly collectible, 22 years old on the MCO!

55

I Plan To Move And No Longer Have A Garage. —
The 1989 Corvette touted a digital dashboard that still attracts quite a bit of interest.
The deeply padded seats borrow from the Recaro look. I think this 1989 C4 is exceptional based upon the build quality, performance, and convertible option.

Pros

i love it.

Cons

rolling casket

35

Fast Fun Looks Good And Kns How To Out Run Anything —
sleek,low,v8 baby, fast, out runs the cops, handles great. one hell of a gas guzlr
well mine is now >:) 19 mpg in city 28 on hwy. the car can take one hell of a
beating and keep roll like brand new. chevy till i die

Pros

Cons

Looks Good, Ran Good, Handled Good, Made Me Crazy With Quality Issues. —
Great handling, fast, seemed lighter the faster you went. Six speed shifter was fantastic. Too flexible, too many things go wrong, ride extremely harsh with many rattles and shakes. Only kept it 5 years. Trade in allowance just about paid for the Miata.

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